1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a two-layer inside/outside air type vehicular air-conditioning system which is provided with partitioning members which partition the inside of an air-conditioning case which holds a cooling-use heat exchanger, a heating-use heat exchanger, and a vent temperature control means into a first air passage into which compartment air (below, called “inside air”) is introduced and a second air passage into, which the atmosphere (below, called “outside air”) is introduced, more particularly relates to an air-conditioning system which enables odors which are produced from the heat exchangers or odors inside of the compartment to be suppressed at the time of startup etc.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general vehicular air-conditioning system not of the two-layer inside/outside air type arranges an evaporator inside of an air-conditioning case and, at the time of cooling, supplies a refrigerant which was compressed by a compressor of a refrigeration cycle to the evaporator for cooling, uses a blower to suck air inside of the compartment or outside air inside the air-conditioning case, runs this through the evaporator, and blows cool air into the compartment. Further, at the time of heating, it runs this through a heater core which is provided inside the case and blows warm air into the compartment.
In this regard, in such a vehicular air-conditioning system, since inside air or outside air is introduced inside of the air-conditioning case during use, various kinds of dust or odor-carrying ingredients which are contained in the air will enter the case and stick to the evaporator. There was the problem that after a certain time elapsed, these gave off an unpleasant odor. The odor was released into the compartment together with the vented air.
In particular, when using an air-conditioning system to blow air after a certain period of non-use, a large amount of dust and odor-carrying ingredients would have deposited on the surface of the evaporator or heater core arranged inside the air-conditioning case during that period of non-use, and these ingredients etc. would have grown under a suitable temperature and humidity. For this reason, these odor-carrying ingredients cause an unpleasant odor to be released into the compartment along with the venting of air at the time of startup. Further, there was also the problem that bodily odors from people inside the car, the smell of food brought inside, etc. gave an unpleasant feeling to passengers in the car.
Therefore, in the past, Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2004-175159 etc. proposed a general vehicular air-conditioning system, not of the two-layer inside/outside air type, which arranged an exhaust passage at a downstream side of an evaporator and switched a passage door of the air-conditioning case at the time of startup etc. so as to discharge air inside of the case to the outside of the compartment. However, this had the demerits that a need arose to provide a new exhaust port at the vehicle, space became necessary for laying a duct, etc.
Next, a two-layer inside/outside air type of vehicular air-conditioning system (Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 9-240248 and Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 10-217752) will be simply explained. The “two-layer inside/outside air unit type of vehicular air-conditioning system” was devised for improving the heating ability in vehicles with little heat sources for heating use such as vehicles mounting diesel engines and electric vehicles and specifically is configured as shown in FIG. 6. That is, inside the air-conditioning case 1, partition plates 4 to 6 are used to form two air passages of a first air passage 11 from a first inside air introduction port 1b to compartment vents (defroster vents 1e, face vents 1f, foot vents 1g, etc.) and a second air passage 12 from a second outside air introduction port 1c to compartment vents 1e to 1g. Further, the two air passages 11 and 12 are provided with two blowers 81 and 82, an evaporator 2, and a heater core 3. These devices are used for blowing, cooling, and heating the air inside the two air passages 11 and 12. Note that, reference numerals 13 and 14 indicate inside/outside air switching doors which switch between the outside air introduction ports 1a and 1c and the inside air introduction ports 1b and 1d, while reference numerals 15 to 17 indicate doors which open and close the vents 1a to 1g. The blower 81 and the blower 82 are coaxially connected. The blowers are driven by a motor 8 in the same rotational direction by the same rotational speed.
Further, at the time of winter heating operation, a vent mode can be selected where low humidity outside air which is introduced from the outside air introduction port 1c is blown out through the second air passage 12 from the defroster vents 1e toward the front windshield and where inside air which is introduced from the inside air introduction port 1b is blown out through the inside air passage 11 from the foot vents 1g toward the passenger feet in the compartment. Further, if this vent mode is selected, since low humidity outside air is blown out to the front windshield, fogging of the front windshield is prevented, and already warmed inside air is introduced inside the first air passage 11. Therefore, the heating load of the heater core 3 is lightened and as a result the heating ability is improved.
In such a two-layer inside/outside air type of vehicular air-conditioning system, no literature can be found which describes measures taken against odors.
As other related art, there are the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 2004-175159, Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 9-240248, and Japanese Patent Publication (A) No. 10-217752.